The fees for the fast-track category of passports have been revised, with significant increases announced by the passport office effective from May 8.

According to the latest announcement, the fee for a 36-page Machine Readable (MR) passport with a validity period of five years has been raised to Rs12,500. Similarly, the fee for a 72-page passport for five years will now stand at Rs18,500, while the fee for a 100-page passport will be Rs23,000.

Furthermore, the fees for 36, 72, and 100-page MR passports with a validity period of 10 years have also been increased.

In addition to these adjustments, the passport office has introduced new fees for expedited processing. For 100, 72, and 36-page passports, the fast track fees will be Rs25,200, Rs32,000, and Rs16,200, respectively.

Also Read: Lahore passport office fails to remain open for 24 hours despite orders

These fee revisions come as part of the government's efforts to streamline passport issuance processes and ensure efficient service delivery to citizens.

On the other hand, despite directives from Passport and Immigration Department to keep passport offices open round the clock, the passport office in Garden Town, Lahore, failed to initiate night shifts as per the issued notification.

The failure to initiate the night shift has sparked frustration among citizens who rely on timely passport services. Many had anticipated the extended operating hours to alleviate the congestion and long waiting periods typically experienced during regular office hours.

Meanwhile, recently, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi announced the commencement of 24/7 passport services in Karachi and Lahore.

Also Read: 24/7 passport services launched in Karachi and Lahore

Minister Naqvi took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce the implementation of this initiative, underlining its potential to revolutionize public access to passport facilities. This decision comes as a significant stride towards streamlining passport services and addressing the persistent challenges faced by citizens in accessing essential documentation.

Minister Naqvi in his post emphasised the paramount importance of this step, highlighting its role in facilitating seamless access to passport services at any hour of the day. The interior minister ensured at least one passport office in each city remains operational round the clock, starting May 7.

In line with this directive, the Passport and Immigration Department issued a notification outlining three shifts: 8am to 4pm, 4pm to 12am, and 12am to 8am for passport offices in Lahore and Karachi.